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ThailandDescription and is it worth a visit
Temple of Phantao (Wat Phantao) is one of the famous and oldest temples of Chiang Mai, which is known not so much for its history and significance as for its architecture. The fact is that his hall of initiation (viharn) is completely made of teak wood, and it is already more than 200 years old.
Phantao was founded in the XIV century. Its name translates as "temple of a thousand furnaces", and he supposedly got it because Buddha statues were cast here for the main temple of Chedi luang, which is located nearby. The famous teak viharn appeared here only in 1876, and it was built from teak panels of the throne room, erected specifically for the coronation of the fifth king Mahotara Prateth. After the coronation, the throne room was dismantled and used for the construction of the viharna. But there is another version that it was the building of the residence of the king, and after his death his follower ordered to disassemble it and build a temple out of it. In general, each source tells its own version of the story of its appearance, and now you can't figure out which one is correct.
Inside the viharna there are 108 vessels for a simple religious ritual, in which visitors to the temple, including tourists, can participate. This is a kind of "religious attraction", similar to which can be found in many temples in Thailand to collect donations. To do this, you need to take a cup with small coins here, and throw one coin into each vessel. The donation amount is not set, so you can leave as much as you want. Donations are dropped into a special box, you don't need to give money to anyone.
🕐 Working hours
From 08:00 to 17:00.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge, donations are welcome.
🚶 How to get there
Phantao Temple is located in the city center on Intrawarorort Street (temple on the map). You can get there on foot, by tuk-tuk or minibus from 100 baht. Learn more about transportation in Chiang Mai and what to use here...
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